LENT DAY 18: WE ARE ALL DEBTORS. (Homily for March 1, 2016. Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent)

Bible Study:  Daniel 3, 25 and 34 to 43. Matthew 18, 21 to 35.

There are certain facts about the way we humans are wired that never ceases to amaze me. Back then in school, I used to wonder how I forget things so easily. There were times I read all through the night preparing for an examination only to get into the hall the following morning and completely forget everything I stood up all night to read. However, when someone offends me, I start praying for the gift of forgetfulness. I not only remember the incidence, I even remember the very words the person spoke, the way those words were said, the time it happened and the reasons why such happened.

Isn’t it funny that when we do things for people, we never forget it but at the same time, we easily forge the favours we ourselves have received from others? Sometimes, when we receive gifts from people, there is a sense of entitlement attached to it. We just say “thank you” yet deep within us, we say “I deserved it after all.” Our “thank you” does not come from the heart and no sooner had we started using the gift, we forget how we got it. However, when we give things to people, we keep saying to ourselves “I know what it cost me to give him or her that gift oh.” There is a feeling of expectation about how that person ought to behave and when our expectations are not met, we easily notice and begin to feel bad.

Where does all this lead to? In today’s Gospel passage, Peter asked Jesus how often he was to forgive and Jesus responded with a parable about a certain servant who was forgiven so much debt by his master yet went on to arrest his fellow servant who owed him very little. The truth is that we are very much like this servant. After receiving the gift of forgiveness, he quickly forgot about it because of the sense of entitlement and immediately he remembered the servant who he had given something in the past. He could not forget and let go.

We are all debtors. If God were to charge us, none of us would be alive today. Let us pray for the gift of forgetfulness. Not that we forget what we read when preparing for examination, but the ability to forget the wrongs that people do to us.

Let us Pray:

Lord Jesus, just as Daniel prayed in today’s first reading, do not hold our guilt against us. Grant us something of your heart that we may forgive just like you always forgive us. Amen.

God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. Happy new month. Hurray!!! It is my month! May you march into success and favour. Amen.